Method and apparatus for processing filled containers



M. LONG Nov. 8, 1966 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILLED CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1963 M. LONG Nov. 8, 1966 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILLED CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1963 VIIII'IIIIIIIII 4 a H Invento r a VA. n. 0 w m H a Cl United States Patent 3,283,523 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING FILLED CONTAINERS Marshall Long, Overland Park, Kano, assignor to Swift & Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 334,205 Claims. (Cl. 6263) The present invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus for flushing circular objects with fluid. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus for cooling filled cylindrical containers.

In the food processing industry, many foods are sterilized at high temperature and packed within containers having circular surfaces, principally cylindrical containers such as glass jars and metal cans. As is well known, such containers are available in a wide range of sizes. However, where the food product is sterilized by heat, it is usually necessary that the filled containers be quickly cooled to prevent over-processing and to facilitate further handling of the containers through labeling and casing and the like. Generally, the larger the container the greater is the problem of cooling it since heat must be conducted from the interior of the product to the exterior surface of the container. It has been a practice to rotate or spin such containers while flushing with a cool fluid such as water, so that the contents are constantly agitated and circulated so as to transmit heat faster to the container walls.

Obviously some method and apparatus must be provided to so process the containers. Such apparatus'normally operates to roll a continuous stream of the containers along a path exposed to the cooling fluid. However, prior processes and apparatus have involved a fixed relationship between speed of rotation, length of path and total processing time.

The present invention, however, enables the speeds of container rotation and advancement along a path to be independently determined so that the processing time may also be adjusted independent of the speed of rotation and length of path, thereby providing greater flexibility in handling various sized containers and also various food products. It will be understood that under certain'conditions a minimum speed of container advancement may be necessitated by the number of containers that must be processed in a given time.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for flushing objects with fluid wherein the objects are rotated and conveyed at speeds substantially independent of one an other over a broad range.

Basically, the present method involves supporting a continuous stream of circular objects and urging them at a selectable velocity in a given direction, while at the same time engaging upwardly exposed portions of a number of objects in said stream and urging said portions in a direction at a second selectable velocity whereby all of the objects in said stream will be rotated and advanced at speeds dependent upon the magnitude of both of said velocities. While the objects are thus rotated and advanced, they are continuously flushed with a suitable fluid.

An apparatus devised for carrying out the foregoing method basically comprises a supporting conveyor means and an overhead movable engaging means, both of which are provided with variable speed drives by which their relative speeds may be controlled and between which the objects are moved; and fluid delivery means positioned to flush the stream of objects beyond said conveying and engaging means.

3,283,523 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 ICC Further objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the present apparatus, with parts broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a section view of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1 taken at line 22 therein; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1, with parts removed.

The present method, as applied to the cooling of hot filled cylindrical containers, involves the supporting of a plurality of such containers in substantially endless stream arranged in abutting relation with the axes of each container disposed parallel to one another and transverse to the direction in which the containers may move. The containers, so arranged, are urged from the underside at a selected first velocity along a path which extends in an upwardly inclined direction. Accordingly, each container tends to roll downwardly along the path, and would normally rotate in sliding contact with adjacent containers. However, the tendency of the containers to so roll is controlled by engaging a portion of the surface of a number of the containers along a lower increment of said path, preferably by engaging a portion of the surfaces of said containers from overhead opposite the lower points at which they are supported, and applying a directional movement to the upper portions of the objects at the points of engagement and at a second selected velocity. Thus, by regulating both the first and second velocities relative to each other, both the rate of rotation and the forward advancement of the containers may be controlled. Keeping in mind that velocity connotes direction as well as magnitude, advancement of the containers in a given direction will be the average of the two applied velocities, the rotational speed will be one half the difference of the two applied velocities; and the advancement plus the rotational speed will equal the higher of two velocities.

A preferred embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the two velocities. 3. As may be seen in the figures, the apparatus includes an upwardly inclined trough means, generally 10, having a bottom 12 and sides 14, 16, extending its full length. The trough means is supported upon a frame generally 20 comprised of two inclined side channel pieces 22, 24 supported above a floor on pairs of legs 26, 28.

A conveyor means for supporting a stream of cans is disposed in the trough means generally 10. A preferred form of conveyor means comprises an illustrated endless web 32 trained about a pair of pulleys 34, 36 which are positioned so that one run of the web, preferably the upper run, is supported upon and slides across the bottom 12 of the trough generally 10. The pulleys 34, 36 are rotatably supported on shafts 38, 40, respectively, j-ournaled in the side channels 22, 24 at the lower and upper ends of the trough generally 10. A drive chain 42 is trained about suitable sprockets on one shaft, for instance shaft 40, and a variable speed drive means such as electric motor 44. Containers are delivered in continuous succession to the lower end of the trough 10 and onto the upper surface of the endless web 32 across an infeed track 50. Similarly containers are discharged from the upper end of the trough generally 10 on a declined discharge track 52, or other suitable removal means.

The stream of containers advancing through the trough 10 on the conveyor means generally 20' may be flushed with suitable fluid emanating from a fluid delivery means generally 60 spaced above and alined with the troughs. The fluid thus descends upon the upwardly exposed surfaces of the containers and thence flows downwardly through the trough, past other containers, to a collection tank 62 conveniently located beneath the lower end of the apparatus. Where the containers are to be cooled, the .fluid is usually a chilled liquid, such as water, and the. :delivery means generally 60 preferably comprises a maul-- fold 64 and a pluraity of shower heads 66 spaced there-- along. A suitable drain is connected to the collection tank 62; and the fluid manifold 64 is connected to a suitable source of liquid (not shown) such as a city water supply. In some instances recirculation and chilling equipment may be provided between the tank 62 and manifold 64.

Since the weight of the stream of containers on the endless web 32 may cause a substantial frictional drag between the latter and the bottom 12 of the trough generally it is highly advantageous, and sometimes necessary, to locate; fluid injector means generally 70 between the trough bottom 12 and the under surface of the web 32 to Provide: lubrication. In a preferred embodiment such means comprises a main fluid conduit 72 and a plurality of connectors 74 connected between the conduit 72 and a plurality of equally spaced ports in the trough bottom 12. Either air or water is suitable lubricating fluid and the conduit 72 is accordingly connected to a source of such fluid under pressure (not shown).

It will have become obvious that containers, in the attitude normally presented to the trough 10, will tend to roll downhill as they are conveyed upwardly on the endless Web 32. Thus the containers will normally be rotated beneath the fluid delivery means generally 60. However, where a stream of such containers extends through the length of the trough the tendency to roll downhill will overcome the ability of the conveyor means 30 to carry them uphill and containers would tend to be forced from the lower end of the apparatus. The motion of the containers is, however, controlled by an engaging means generally 80 which is floatingly positioned above a lower increment of the trough generally 10 and in position to contact upwardly exposed surface portions of a plurality of containers. Preferably an endless surface such as an endless belt 82 is utilized for this purpose. A preferred form of the engaging means, seen in FIGURE 1, is mounted on a floating frame 84 whereon the endless belt 82 is trained about a pair of pulleys 86, 88. The pulleys are mounted on shafts 90, 92, respectively, which aline the belt 82 with the endless web 32. The shafts in turn are journaled in the floating frame 84 and are independently driven by a drive chain 94 trained about suitable sprockets on shaft 90 and an electric motor 96 which is also mounted upon the frame 34. The lower run of the endless belt 82 is maintained in contact with containers therebeneath and throughout its length by suitable bias means such as a plurality of leaf springs 98. Also the floating frame 82 is held in position above the trough generally 10 by a plurality of mooring rod-s 100, 102 which are mounted at pivots on the frame 84 and pivots on the side channels 22, 24 of the trough generally 10. Preferably suitable counterweights 112, 114 are attached to the mooring rods 100, 102, respectively, beyond the lower pivots to prevent the entire weight of the engaging means assembly generally 80' from pressing against the containers and web 32 at the bottom of the trough generally 10. It will be seen that the floating type of mounting thus described permits the engaging means to ride upward and downward to a distance suflicient to allow all sizes of containers to be processed in the equipment.

Also with respect to various size containers, suitable guide means generally 120 is provided within the trough generally 10 to maintain the containers alined with one another and upon the endless web 32 out of contact with the trough sides 14, 16. A preferred form of the guide means illusrt ated in FIGURE 3, comprises a fixed guide rail 122, within the trough and extending the length thereof adjacent one side 16. An adjustable guide rail 124 extends in similar fashion adjacent the opposite side 14 and at a variable distance therefrom. The mechanism by which the latter rail may be adjusted and comprises a parallelogram type linkage including a plurality of movable links 126, 128 and 130, pivotally connected to one another and to the guide rail 124, and a single adjusting rod 132 connected between one link 126 and a fixed point on the apparatus frame.

In operation, both the rate of advancement of the containers through the trough 10 and the rate of rotation thereof may be regulated over a broad range by controlling the speed of the variable speed electric motors 44 and 96, which are also preferably reversible, in accordance with the following formulae:

Where A =rate of advancement, R=linear rate of rotation,

X=velocity of web 32, and Y=velocity of belt 82.

For example, where motor 44 is operated to move the web 32 upwardly at 20 feet per minute and motor 96 is operated to move the endless belt 82 in the same direction at the same speed, the containers will be advanced without rotation at 20 feet per minute. If, however, the web 32 is operated at the same speed and direction and the endless belt 82 is driven at 20 feet per minute in the opposite, downward direction, the cans will rotate counter-clockwise at a rim speed of 20 feet per minute, but will not advance at all. Intermediate these extremes, at a web speed of 20 feet per minute, the containers may be made to advance and rotate both at the rate of 10 feet per minute where the endless belt 82 is held stationary. Obviously a wide range of rates of both rotation and advancement may be obtained by controlling the actual and relative speed of both the endless web 32 and endless belt 82; and in some instances the endless Web 32 may be run down the trough 10 and the endless belt 82 run upwardly to advance the containers with clock- Wise rotation.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For instance the invention may be utilized to flush objects with hot liquid for heat treatment with equal facility as flushing to cool them. Therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved method for flushing circular objects,

said method comprising: urging said objects along a path in an upwardly inclined direction by applying a directional movement to the lowermost portions of said ob jects along said path with said objects abutting one another; engaging upwardly exposed portions of a plurality of said objects throughout movement only along the lower increment of said path; applying a directional movement to the uppermost portions of said objects where so engaged whereby both the rate of rotation of said objects and the upward rate of movement along said path may be adjusted to desired values; and flushing said objects with fluid along said path. 2. An improved method for flushing cylindrical obects, said method comprising: urging said objects along a path in an upwardly inclined direction by applying a directional movement to the lowermost portions of said objects along said path with said objects abutting one another and with their axes disposed normal to the direction of movement whereby said objects tend to roll in the opposite direction of said movement; engaging upwardly exposed portions of a plurality of said objects throughout movement only along the lower increment of said inclined path; applying a directional movement to the uppermost portions of said objects where so engaged where by bot-h the rate of rotation of said objects and the upward rate of movement along said path may be adjusted to desired values; and flushing said objects with fluid along said path.

3. An improved method for cooling cylindrical containers, said method comprising: supporting the lower portions of said containers; urging said containers along a path in an upwardly inclined direction at a selectable first velocity with said containers abutting one another and with their axes disposed normal to the direction of movement whereby said containers tend to roll in the opposite direction of said movement; engaging upwardly exposed portions of a plurality of said containers throughout movement only along the lower increment of said inclined path; applying a directional movement to the uppermost portions of said objects where so engaged, said movement being at a second velocity selected relative to said first velocity whereby both the rate of rotation of said containers and the upward rate of movement along said path may be adjusted to desired values; and flushing said containers with water along said path.

4. An improved apparatus for flushing circular objects with fluid, said apparatus comprising: an upwardly inclined conveying means for moving said objects upwardly along an inclined path; engaging means for contacting a number of said objects along only the lower increment of said path, said engaging means being positioned paral lel to the lower end of said conveying means and above and in contact only with the upper portion of said objects to control the rate at which the objects may be rotated thereon; and fluid delivery means positioned above said conveying means beyond said engaging means for flushing the surface of said objects with fluid.

5. An improved apparatus for flushing cylindrical containers with fluid, said apparatus comprising: an upwardly inclined trough means; conveying means disposed Within said trough means for moving said containers upwardly therethrough with the axes of said containers normal to the direction of movement whereby the containers may tend to roll in the reverse direction; engaging means for contacting a plurality of said containers along only the lower increment of said trough means, said engaging means being positioned parallel to the lower end of said trough means and above and in contact only with the upper portion of said containers to control the rate at which said containers may rotate; and fluid delivery means positioned above said trough beyond said engaging means for flushing the surface of said containers with fluid.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including adjustable guide means within said trough for alining at least one end of said containers.

7. An improved apparatus for flushing cylindrical containers with fluid, said apparatus comprising: an upwardly inclined trough; and endless conveyor disposed with one run thereof along the bottom surface of said trough, said conveyor disposed for continuously moving containers upwardly through said trough in abutting relation with their axes directed normal to the direction of motion whereby the containers will tend to roll in the reverse direction; fluid injecting means located in the bottom of said trough for injecting a lubricating fluid between said bottom and said conveyor run; engaging means for contacting a portion of said containers, said engaging means being positioned parallel to the lower end of said trough and above and in contact only with the upper portion of said containers to control the rate at which said containers may rotate; and fluid delivery means positioned above said trough beyond said engaging means for flushing the surface of said containers with fluid.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including guide means within said trough for alining at least one end of said containers.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the engaging means comprises a rotatable endless surface means positioned with its surface parallel to said endless conveyor and in contact with containers on said conveyor.

10. The apparatus of claim '7 wherein the engaging means comprises an endless belt positioned parallel to said conveyor, said belt being floatingly mounted whereby the lower run thereof rests under pressure upon said portion of said containers on said conveyor; and a plurality of variable speed driving means connected to each of said endless conveyor and said endless belt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,207,592 12/1916 Miller 134131 1,655,871 1/1928 Lu-m 134131 2,477,992 8/ 1949 Leonard 6264 X 2,655,007 10/1953 Lazar 6264 2,794,326 6/ 1957 Mencacce 62-64 X 3,007,319 11/1961 Ogden 62-64 3,022,636 2/1962 Morrison 6264 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR FLUSHING CIRCULAR OBJECTS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING: URGING SAID OBJECTS ALONG A PATH IN AN UPWARDLY INCLINED DIRECTION BY APPLYING A DIRECTIONAL MOVEMENT TO THE LOWERMOST PORTIONS OF SAID OBJECTS ALONG SAID PATH WITH SAID OBJECTS ABUTTING ONE ANOTHER; ENGAGING UPWARDLY EXPOSED PORTIONS OF A PLURALITY OF SAID OBJECTS THROUGHOUT MOVEMENT ONLY ALONG THE LOWER INCREMENT OF SAID PATH; APPLYING A DIRECTIONAL MOVEMENT TO THE UPPERMOST PORTIONS OF SAID OBJECTS WHERE SO ENGAGED WHEREBY BOTH THE RATE OF ROTATION OF SAID OBJECTS AND THE UPWARD RATE OF MOVEMENT ALONG SAID PATH MAY BE ADJUSTED TO DESIRED VALUES; AND FLUSHING SAID OBJECTS WITH FLUID ALONG SAID PATH. 